“Unlike the government we never shut down here,” is the message she placed Wednesday on the sign outside the 1863 Inn.

If the shutdown continues, she's worried the Illumination in the National Cemetery Nov. 19 would be cancelled, which is one of the big events of the year. President Obama has been invited, although she doesn't know if he responded.

“If they have to cancel it, I don’t think this town would ever recover from it,” she said.

And there are more immediate concerns, like a military group from Kansas who have 32 rooms booked for three nights. “That’s a huge chunk of change,” Herring said. So far, they’re still planning to attend, despite the shutdown, she said.

“We had a couple of groups trying to cancel, and we talked them out of it, advising them of places to do see and things to do,” she said, citing the visitor center and museum, bus tours, shops and more. “It’s a misconception among people that the entire town’s shut down,” Herring said, and normally October is one of their busiest months.

Those causing the government shutdown “are not thinking of the American people and small business,” Herring said. “They need to get on with it.”

No real difference has been seen yet at Gettysburg Souvenirs and Gifts, said owner Todd Mickley.

But he’s concerned it will, with October weekends usually some of the busiest of the year. Paranormal and ghost tours are big attractions in Gettysburg around Halloween, and there are festivals like the Apple Festival in Arendtsville and Colorfest.

There’s plenty to still do in Gettysburg, Mickley said, but he said it’s a shame people can’t visit the actual battlefield.

Norma Herring, manager of Gettysburg 1863 Inn, is concerned about the impact the continued shutdown will have on her business and the town.

Don Ulrick, who works in the store, said a couple from Montana were planning to visit Gettysburg, Philadelphia and Washington DC.

While the battlefield is closed, tourists were finding their way onto battlefield property on Cemetery Hill. Some said they thought it was open, since the visitor’s center was open.

Others, like John and Jennifer Stanfield of Virginia, saw other people there, and decided to make a brief stop, with no ranger on site to stop them.

“I’m a taxpayer. I paid for this and I want to see it,” Jennifer said. “I feel sorry for the rangers that have to answer when people are in here,” John added. “It’s obvious people are walking in to see different things.”

Gettysbike tours at the park adjusted their tours to avoid the closed park roads, and had their first Wednesday morning, said employee Kelly Steenstra.

“Maybe there are certain roads we can’t go on, but the quality of the licensed guides is not going to suffer, and that’s what people are looking for,” she said. Instead of 13 miles, they’ll travel seven. “We can’t stop as much,” said tour guide Bruce Rice. “But it’s a large battlefield, and there are a lot of off-the-beaten-track parts of the battlefield that also have interesting stories,” Rice said.

John and Jennifer Stanfield on Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg.

Leslie and Gary Mason of Urbana, Ill., were embarking on a bike tour on the one day they are spending in Gettysburg. “So far we’ve had a really good, positive experience,” Leslie said.

At the Gettysburg Battlefield Bus Tours next to the cemetery on Baltimore Street, some tours had to be cancelled due to the park closure, said Bonnie Jacoby, marketing manager.

That’s because the double-decker buses have a pre-programmed tour based on a route through the battlefield. They had to revamp their tours and use regular buses, in which the tour guides have more flexibility, she said. They ran three tours Wednesday, but will be losing money if the shutdown continues, Jacoby said.